A known directional control valve system for furnishing a hydraulic actuator with pressure fluid includes a meter-in flow control valve for establishing and blocking fluid communication between a pump port and an actuator port, and a meter-out flow control valve for establishing and blocking fluid communication between the actuator port and a tank port.
Such a meter-out flow control valve is designed to allow return fluid in the hydraulic actuator to flow out into a reservoir tank by establishing fluid communication between the actuator port and the tank port and to block fluid communication between the actuator port and the tank port. The return fluid from the hydraulic actuator that has been allowed to flow out into the reservoir tank cannot be recovered for recycling.
It is also known to provide the actuator port with a recovery valve and, using this valve, to recover return fluid from the hydraulic actuator for recycling. Providing a recovery valve in addition to a meter-out flow control valve enlarges a space for installation and, if they are assembled in a valve body of a directional control valve system, enlarges the valve body and requires the entire directional. control valve system to be larger in size.